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Speaker Muturi to decide Kidero’s fate as city governor


National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi on Wednesday stopped debate on a report on the sugar industry, to give himself time to decide whether a recommendation to bar Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero from holding public office can be added.

The recommendation is sponsored by Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, who also wants Dr Kidero to pay Sh577 million, which was the amount of revenue lost because Mumias Sugar Company made fictitious sugar exports while he was in charge.

The report was tabled last year and debate had been postponed three times, amid concerns that secret deals had been struck to frustrate it.

‘SWEET THINGS’

Mr Muturi alluded to its controversial nature, saying: “I would have been persuaded to say that I’ll make the ruling on Tuesday but as has been said, these matters of sweet things get destructive.”

Mr Washiali also sought to rope in the owners of all the trucks that ferried sugar from Mumias Sugar go-downs supposedly for export and the directors of the companies associated with them.

The companies are YH Wholesalers, Paleah Stores Ltd and International Relief Services.

“History is going to judge you,” Mr Washiali told his colleagues. “In Mumias where I come from, people have died, children are not going to school and people are living very bad lives because of the actions of one person, who did it single-handedly.”

 

PERSONAL INTEREST

Mr Muturi made the decision to stop the debate until Thursday afternoon after Mr Washiali came under attack from MPs from ODM, some of whom claimed he had a personal interest in Mumias Sugar and was one of the traders in its sugar.

He will decide on whether Mr Washiali can be allowed to introduce recommendations that would change the direction of the report.

The proposed recommendation would compel the authorities to take action on Dr Kidero rather than investigate the entire management and board of Mumias Sugar, the Kenya Sugar Board and the Kenya Revenue Authority over the fictitious exports.

Agriculture Committee chairman Adan Mohammed Nooru said debate on whether Dr Kidero should have been named in the report dominated their discussions.